1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to scent dispensers. More specifically, the invention is a compact, extensible scent dispensing device for hunters which is adapted for being placed in a closed position, in an extended position, and in a disassembled position in order to dispense a scent for attracting game animals, or for masking human scent.
2. Description of Related Art
Many hunters own, or would like to own, a scent dispensing device. Many hunters also would like to own a scent dispensing device which is compact, easily transportable, and adaptable to be attached to an upright structure or to be inserted into the ground. However, most scent dispensing devices may not be compact and easily transportable, nor adaptable to be inserted into the ground. A scent dispensing device which is both compact and extensible would therefore be desirable. A scent dispensing device which is easily transportable and adaptable to be inserted into the ground would further be desirable. The present invention achieves these goals through a compact, extensible scent dispensing device with an elongated housing, an elongated inner tube, a string, and a clip.
Various forms of scent dispensing devices are known. U.S. Design Pat. No. 228,911 issued on Oct. 30, 1973, to Adelaide L. Gatter describes an insect repellant container or similar article in the shape of a four-sided elongated rectangular box with a plurality of openings along at least two of the sides. U.S. Design Pat. No. 268,695 issued on Apr. 19, 1983, to John W. Kolf describes a deer scent dispenser with two flat surfaces with a scented fluffy material in front and two apertures for attachment by a strap. U.S. Design Pat. No. 301,912 issued on Jun. 27, 1989, to Lynwood W. Ward describes a deer scent holder in the shape of a capped tube with the cap having an aperture for attachment to a strap. U.S. Pat. No. 3,046,192 issued on Jul. 24, 1962, to Archie E. Bilyeu describes heated compositions of scents contained in an open fuel case covered by a cloth cover for attracting wild game and the method for their use by heating. U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,646 issued on Nov. 10, 1992, to Charles C. Aurich, et al. describes a device for dispensing animal attractant scents having a case in which are housed a power source and a bottle containing a supply of liquid animal attractant scent. The power source heats a wick containing a heat generating resistor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,274 issued on Nov. 23, 1993, to Kenneth D. Speed describes a game luring scent diffusing device that includes a supply container and a collection container suspended from the supply container by an elongated porous wick extending between the containers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,584 issued on May 3, 1994, to Robert Jarvis describes a deer scent dispenser comprising a cylindrical container that is provided with a bottom reservoir for liquid deer scent. The container has plastic screen walls which contain a wick.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,521 issued on Nov. 14, 1995, to Jeffrey L. Baker et al. describes a device including a plurality of scent cartridges stored within a container sealed by a cap. The cap includes a depending hook for extracting an individual scent cartridge from the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,314 issued on Apr. 22, 1997, to Donald J. Eason describes a game scent diffusion device in the shape of an inverted T-shaped member adapted to be disposed in a bottle of liquid game scent and exposed when the bottle is hung from a tree. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,019 issued on May 5, 1998, to Jeffrey J. Fisher describes a hunter's scenting system having a frangible vial containing scented liquid disposed within a flexible sheath member and having a wick member with a first end disposed adjacent to the vial and a second end extending below the sheath member. U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,648 issued on Nov. 10, 1998, to Richard E. Malone describes a jar-like container having a scented liquid therein and a ringed cap with an attachment of a plurality of elongated members that are configured to retain the container thereon when the cap is removed from the opening of the container. This arrangement permits the container to be suspended below the cap and a wick that is also attached to the cap to be in communication with air currents flowing over the wick.
United Kingdom Patent No. 744,369 published on Feb. 8, 1956, for Hugh W. B. Baker describes vaporizing attachments for bottles or like containers for liquids. Each attachment comprises a cap for the bottle and a wick support attachable to the cap so that the cap can be detached from the bottle and lifted to raise and expose a desired portion of the wick, whereby the liquid contents of the bottle can be vaporized. United Kingdom Patent No. 2,251,601 published on Jul. 15, 1992, for George M. Mowbray describes a disposable scent holder for an automobile window comprising two sheets of transparent plastic material sealed together to define a volume for scent. European Patent No. 294,175 published on Dec. 7, 1988 for John M. Cook describes a plate-like carrier having a surface to which a hollow tube containing a scent package can be affixed, and with the longitudinal axis of the tube being substantially parallel to the surface of the carrier. PCT Patent No. WO 90/07430, published on Jul. 12, 1990, for Aubrey W. Richardson describes a dispenser for dispensing a liquid including an elongated case having a body and a cap which includes a clip for carrying the dispenser in a shirt pocket. The case includes a reservoir for holding cologne or the like and a roller-ball applicator.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.